What is a user account?

A user account is a collection of information that tells Windows which files and folders you can access, what changes you can make to the computer, and your personal preferences, such as your desktop background or screen saver. User accounts let you share a computer with several people, while having your own files and settings. Each person accesses his or her user account with a user name and password.

There are three types of accounts. Each type gives users a different level of control over the computer:

Standard accounts are for everyday computing.

Administrator accounts provide the most control over a computer, and should only be used when necessary.

Guest accounts are intended primarily for people who need temporary use of a computer.

A user account is a collection of information that tells Windows what files and folders you can access, what changes you can make to the computer, and your personal preferences, such as your desktop background or color theme. User accounts make it so that you can share a computer with several people, but still have your own files and settings. Each person accesses their user account with a user name and password.

There are three different kinds of accounts:

Standard

Administrator

Guest

Each account type gives the user a different level of control over the computer. The standard account is the account to use for everyday computing. The administrator account provides the most control over the computer, and should only be used when necessary. The guest account is primarily for people who need temporary access to the computer.